Verizon plans to cover 90% of the United States with 4G by the end of 2013. (Source: Verizon)

Verizon's 4G is almost two years ahead of AT&T's

Verizon
Wireless has begun user trials of its 4G LTE network in five U.S.
cities, Tech
Republic reports.

The
nation's largest wireless carrier has been running technical trials
in Boston and Seattle. In the Boston
trials, average download speeds ranged between 5-12 Mbps, and
average upload speeds saw a 2-5 Mbps range. These speeds may not
sound like much -- compared to even T-Mobile's HSPA+
claims -- but Verizon's stated speeds are the average
reported, rather than theoretical maximums that most carriers like to
tout.

“Technical
trials are staged [and] tiered in accordance with industry standards.
They’re [now] completed," said David Clevenger, Verizon's
executive director of public affairs, in a conference call with
developers. “The
next phase is ‘friendly user trials,’ which means we’re looking
for feedback on the network."

Verizon
is the first major U.S. carrier to begin building its LTE network,
with plans
to launch the high-speed service in 25 to 30 cities across
the country by the end of 2010. AT&T, Verizon's closest
competitor in terms of size, is investing
in its current 3G network and won't begin technical trials
of LTE until 2011. That puts Verizon's 4G ahead of AT&T's by
almost two years.

The
company did not announce which additional three cities it plans to
test LTE in, or who the "users" will be. The trials are a
key step in rolling out the new network -- Verizon's first based on
GSM technology -- to the 100 million American the company plans to
cover by year's end. Verizon plans to cover its existing 3G footprint
with LTE by the end of 2013.

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